Sheaffer Balance
1937-41
About This Model
Sheaffer Balances appeared in 1929 and were Sheaffer’s top production lines from the early 1930’s until after WWII. They were available in numerous lengths, girths, colors and patterns, filled by lever or plunger, and were well enough made that now, with a cleaning and filling system restoration, they make excellent and durable pens. There were two distinct levels, Lifetime and non-Lifetime, and numerous models at different times. The Lifetime designation was carried over from before the Balance's appearance, and was kept to designate higher level pens. They carried Lifetime nibs and a white dot to signify the pen as a Lifetime; in addition, they came with the Lifetime guarantee, which continued for many years until the courts struck it down. After WWII the White Dot was used to denote higher level pens, and then became Sheaffer's brand identifier. Non-Lifetime pens had lower trim levels but were made of the same components; their nibs were very good and were often much softer and easier to write with than Lifetimes. Balances were also designated with numerous sub-model names after the mid-1930s, and the use of Balance was ended altogether after WWII, with the obsolescence of lever-filled pens.
About This Pen
This is a Balance Streamline from the 1937-41 final era of Balances. It is a slender, standard size, 5⅛” long, in Golden Brown Radite. Like all of the later Balances, it is very sturdy and solidly made, with a firm lever and clip. The gold trim is all clean and untarnished. The pen is generally very clean and shiny, with its share of minor wear marks, especially at the top of the cap. The view window is ambered but clear. The Sheaffer imprint is complete and legible. The nib is a Feathertouch 5, one of my favorite Sheaffer nibs, and it writes a firm, but not stiff fine. An excellent everyday pen for a smaller hand.
Price: $48 Sold